Letter-box



(No Model.)

F. G. KOLLENBERG LETTER BOX. N0. 492,026.A Patented Feb. 21, 1893.

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@WW Ww@ NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED G. KOLLENBERG, OF OWENSBOROUGH, KENTUCKY.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,026, dated February 21, 1893.

Application iiled April20,1892. Serial No. 429,969. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, FRED G. KOLLENBERG, of Owensborough, countyof Daviess, and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Postal Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce an improved receptacle for letters to be used in the same manner as letter boxes are now used by the Government for the posting of letters upon the street at adistance fromv the main post-office.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my box; Fig. 2 a central vertical section of the same; and Fig. 3 aside elevation thereof.

Referring to the gures on the drawings, 1 indicates a box of suitable size and shape, preferably made of iron in the usual manner, and having its interior accessible through a door 2 as usual. 'The door is also, as usual, provided with a lock for securely protecting its contents from theft.

Ordinarily separate postal receptacles are provided for papers and for letters, the reason being that letters are generally of great value and are especially guarded by the Government; but papers being less valuable are not the objects of theft. By my invention I provide means for using the same box as a receptacle for letters and papers, and at the same time guarding perfectly against the possibility of gaining access to the interior of the box. To accomplish this I provide a letter opening 3 in the front wall of the box, adapted to take in letters lengthwise. Across this I provide an ordinary door 4, adapted to swing shut by gravity. The walls of the box are preferably provided with flanges 5, upon the upper one of which is hung a similar door 7. By this means I protect the contents securely against water perfectly. Above the letter opening I provide a somewhat larger opening S provided with doors, as in the letter opening, and adapted to operate in the same manner, the door swinging in opposite directions, as above described. In the interior of the box, extending from the bottom of the fiange of the larger opening I provide an angularguard wall 9 which is preferably made of metal and united to the end walls of the box integrally or otherwise. At the bend of this guard wall isprovided a downwardly extending tongue or flange 10, which is preferably brought to an edge. A similar edged flange 1l is provided .upon the lower flange of the letter opening. The lower part of the guard wall extends diagonally across the box beyond the edge of the fiange 11 so as to form a circuitous passage way from the letter opening to the interior of the box. A counter guard wall12 is secured to the back of the box, and extends beyond the edge of the tongue 10 so as to form in like manner, as above described, a circuitous passage Way for newspapers.

By the above arrangement of guard walls I prevent the contents of the box being tampered with. The opening for letters being small it is difficult to extract letters from the side of the box through it; but it may be done by an expert by the use of athin instrument formed of Wire or the like. By myinvention, however, the edges of the guard Walls prevent the introduction of such an instrument and its withdrawl, the sharp edges of the wall and its opposite flange being so arranged as to take hold of the instrument and prevent its withdrawal, except with such force as would prevent the extraction of the letter. The newspaper opening being large it might be possible, from boxes of ordinary construction, to withdraw the contents, or a portion of it by thrusting in the arm. By my improvement, however, I guard against this perfectly by the use of similar guard walls.

As above stated, I provide against injury to the contents of the box from water; but if the box should be tampered with and water allowed to enter the interior, I have provided further means for speedily carrying it off and preventing its soaking and injuring the contents of the box by providing suitable drainage in the bottom of the box. To provide for such a drainage, Ihollow out the bottom of the box and provide in itslowest part a small opening 13, and cover the top of the hollow bottom with a latticed or perforated false bottom 14. y

1. The combination with a letter box, with a suitable receiving opening, of twoindepend- IOO ently communicating hinged doors, arranged one in front of the other, and opening in opposite directions, one of said doors adapted to be closed by gravity whereby the opening is secured when not in use, substantially as specified.

2. In a letter boX, the combination with two independent receiving openings, each having independent pairs of doors, arranged in front of each other, of two independently arranged passage Ways communicatiu g with said openings and doors, and both of said passage Ways leading to the box, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a letter boX, the combination With two independent receiving openings, arranged one 

